Posted by The G on May 25, 2011 under The G Spot | Comments are off for this article

Photos by G.

Doug Liman

On May 24, 2011 at the Walter Reade Theater in New York, Doug Liman (Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Go, The Bourne Identity, etc.) directed a special program called “Reckoning With Torture,” featuring writers, artists, the former chief prosecutor at Guantanamo and a former CIA agent in a reading from documents, memos and testimonies from ‘the War on Terror.’ It was utterly horrifying to hear how prisoners were captured (often for no reason), detained and tortured. Tactics such as sexual abuse, starvation, water torture, sensory deprivation and beatings were used on prisoners. Hearing the accounts of these inhumane acts was pretty sobering, but making it even worse, US officials have publicly denied this abuse ever taking place.

Dianne Wiest

The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) has unearthed over 130,000 pages of government documents related to President George Bush’s post 9/11 interrogation and torture program. You can view the database and take action on the ACLU website. I guarantee you, these documents will make you sick to your stomach – but guess what – if we don’t speak up against these atrocities, they will continue to happen!

Lili Taylor

You can also learn more and take action on the PEN American Center’s website. PEN American Center is a fellowship of writers dedicated to defending the freedom of expression and persecuted writers and journalists, advancing literature and literary translation, and fostering international literary exchange.

Backdrop by Jenny Holzer

The time is now to do your part. Educate yourself. Pass the information along and get involved. It seems that globally people are starting to familiarize themselves with this unacceptable behavior, whether it’s in regards to Bush’s post 9/11 torture programs or the wool that governments are trying to pull over people’s eyes so they can rob us blind to keep us in submission. The problem is, while people recognize it and it is discussed in private, people en masse are not speaking up publicly. Until this happens, we will not see any changes. Until the people stand up and say “we are not going to take this anymore,” we will continue to be abused by the people who are supposed to be protecting us. Please please please please please stand up and do your part!